Celebrate the end of the year with a watermelon gin fizz
I cannot believe that we are almost at the end of 2019! It’s been a very eventful year, with lots of change. But I have to say, it’s pretty much all been good change. 2019 has been the year in which I have achieved a lot of my dreams. I’ve been dying to start my own food and travel blog for a long time, and I have finally taken the plunge and done it. It has been such a rewarding experience, from which I have just learnt so much.
Another one of my dreams for many years now, has been to do a photography course. Whilst waiting for my visa to arrive, I decided that rather than do nothing, I’d take the plunge and just do it! So, if anyone is thinking of doing a photography course in Cape Town, I can absolutely recommend the Orms Cape Town School of Photography. It is a phenomenal school! I learnt so much, and met so many talented, inspiring and generous people. The end of this fabulous year needs to be celebrated, and what better way, than with my favourite watermelon gin fizz!
Summer tastes like watermelon
Mmmm watermelon gin fizz is just THE best summer cocktail. This always reminds me of hot summers in Greece, sipping these delicious drinks on the balcony, looking down at the beautiful view of cypress and olive trees in the valley, with the sea in the distance. Pure bliss! Watermelons are available anywhere and everywhere in the summer in Greece, but also in our Cape Town summer. It’s one of Adam’s favourite fruits. He can get through a whole one in pretty much a day or less! I really have to shoo him away to get him to stop eating it all. This week I actually had to buy three watermelons, as by the time I got to make my watermelon gin fizz, it was all gone!
Bring in 2020 with a fizz!
The great thing is that watermelon gin fizz is fantastically easy to make! You simply chop up some sweet juicy watermelon and remove the seeds. Pop it in a blender or Nutri-Bullet and whizz till smooth. Strain and add this to gin, tonic and some lemon juice for a little tartness. Throw in lots of ice cubes and freshly picked mint and le voila, your juicy, fresh and zingy summer treat, perfect for a New Year’s Party to bring in a fabulous 2020!
Festive Watermelon Gin Fizz
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Ingredients
- 400g watermelon, plus extra slices to serve
- 120ml good quality gin
- 200ml tonic water
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 lemon
- 50g white sugar
- A bunch of mint
- Lots of ice to serve
Instructions
- To sugar the rims of the glasses, cut the lemon into half slices. Use one slice to sugar the rims and reserve the rest for the cocktails.
- To sugar the rims of the glasses, cut the lemon into half slices. Use one slice to sugar the rims and reserve the rest for the cocktails.
- Gently rub the rims of four large glasses all the way round with a slice of lemon. Make sure not to wet other areas of the glasses.
- Place the sugar on a flat plate. Carefully dip all the rims of the glasses into the sugar. Make sure to dip the rim straight, so as to make it nice and even. Twist the glasses until the rims are completely coated, then gently shake off any excess.
- Cut the watermelon into cubes and remove the seeds. Blitz in a blender or NutriBullet until it is pureed to a juice.
- Pour the juice into a sieve over a large jug, and let it drip through. Don’t push the juice through, as you want any pulp to stay in the sieve.
- Add the gin, tonic and lemon juice to the watermelon juice. Stir to combine.
- Carefully fill the glasses halfway with ice cubes. Share the cocktail between the glasses.
- Add the mint to the cocktails and fill them up with more ice if needed.
- Garnish each glass with a thin slice of watermelon, and enjoy!
